


K is Knife

by Jazzie



Series: A to Z of Danny Whump! [11]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-05
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-09-22 06:14:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9587633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jazzie/pseuds/Jazzie
Summary: Shane Warner reappears with devastating consequences for the 5-0 Ohana.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Although all 26 letters are written, I am reviewing them and amending grammar etc, as I come across it. Unfortunately, real life is not playing fair and I have to move out of my current rented property because of the douchebag landlord not paying his mortgage. Posting of new parts may be sporadic, for which I am sorry but at least these are all written!!!

“Alright, let’s call it a night;” Steve McGarrett instructed his team, “We can finish the paperwork in the morning.”

“We can finish the paperwork?  Is that the royal we, Steven?” Danny Williams asked his boss, partner and friend, “Because _we_ ,” at this he circled his hand in the air to indicate all four members of the 5-0 team, “All know that you actually mean _I_ , as in _me_!” he pointed to his own chest.

Chin Ho Kelly and Kono Kalakaua both had their hands over their mouths, trying to hide the smirk that this typical rant from Danny had elicited.

Steve rolled his eyes at his partner’s dramatics, “No Danny, I mean we.  _You_ may fill it out but _I_ still have to sign it!”

“Oh my…” Danny spluttered, “He has to sign it, he says,” he looks at the other two team members who quickly wipe the smirks off their faces, “Did you hear that?  Poor Steven has to sign the paperwork.”

“Well there’s a lot to sign!”

“Of _course_ there’s a lot to sign!  Normally because _you_ ,” he pointed his finger at Steve this time, “Have decided that rather than talking things through with someone, it’s better to _blow_ things up!  _That_ creates a _lot_ of paperwork!  Paperwork that I have to complete using ever more creative and inventive explanations as to _why_ you saw fit to use an explosive to open a door rather than, I don’t know, getting bolt cutters!”

“So, anyone want to go get dinner and a beer?” Steve grinned at the look on his partner’s face at having his rant so easily dismissed.

“Dinner and a beer?  That’s what you’re going with, rather than responding to my very valid comments about the paperwork?”

“Uh huh.”

“You buying?”

“Yes Danny, I’m buying.”

“Got your wallet, with cards and or cash in this time?”

“Yes,” Steve took out his wallet and opened it for his partner to see.

“Then yes, Steven, dinner and a beer sounds like a great idea.  I’ll have to meet you there, as I need to swing by the motel I was staying in and collect something.”

“Motel Cockroach?  What could you possibly have to collect from there?” Steve screwed up his nose at the mention of the motel Danny had been staying in until recently.

“Firstly, it wasn’t called cockroach and it wasn’t that bad!  Secondly, the manager called and said something had been dropped off there for me,” he shrugged.

“OK, we’ll see you there, but don’t be long!”

 

 

-5-0-

 

 

Night had just fallen as Danny pulled up in the parking lot outside the hotel, as he got out of the Camaro he noticed that all the outside lights seemed to be out.  He’d mention it to the manager when he collected whatever it was that had been dropped off.

Danny’s cell started to ring as he started to cross the parking lot, looking at the display he rolled his eyes, “Look Super SEAL, I’ve only just got here.  Some of us actually drive as if we’re, you know, law abiding citizens!”

“I was just going to ask you what you wanted to eat, we’ll order it and it’ll be ready by the time you get here!” Steve responded indignantly.

“In that case…” a noise from some nearby bushes stopped him mid-sentence and he looked around.

“Danny?”

“Sorry, thought I heard something…”

“Paranoid!  What do you want to eat?”

“Order…” another noise from the same direction, as he turned round a figure clad in black came at him wielding a knife.  Danny had no time to draw his weapon; his only choice was to drop the phone and try to defend himself by other methods.  The cell clattered to the ground.

 

 

-5-0-

 

 

“Danny?” Steve rolled his eyes as his partner once again stopped before finishing his sentence.  That’s when he heard the sound of the cell hitting the ground, but it didn’t disconnect so he could hear Danny’s muffled curses.  The SEAL was up and out of his chair with his two other team mates hot on his heels.

“Steve?” asked Kono, the tension in the older man’s posture was worrying her.

For an answer he put his cell on speaker, as they hurried out to their vehicles.  The sounds of a struggle could be heard.  In silent agreement the three all climbed into Steve’s truck and he took off in the direction of the motel with lights and siren going.

 

 

-5-0-

 

 

The knife slashed down towards Danny and he automatically threw his arm up in a defensive posture to ward off the blow, hissing as the knife sliced into his lower right arm.  The man he was fighting was almost a foot taller than the detective and well-built but Danny was a fighter and he wasn’t going to just let this attacker get the upper hand. 

His attacker clearly didn’t have any experience in hand to hand combat, as he just kept slashing the air in between them, causing Danny to jump back but not actually making contact.  That was fine until they reached a kerb; since Danny was unable to look behind him without taking his eyes of his assailant, he hadn’t noticed the approaching trip hazard.  He went down and the man was on him in a heartbeat, continuing to slash the knife.  Danny had been unable to reach for his gun, as the knife wielding maniac was in a frenzy, not allowing time for him to reach for it.  Once again Danny automatically held up his hands to protect himself, resulting in slash wounds across both his palms.  The sting of the cuts were what he needed to shock him into action and using his feet he knocked the other man backwards and got to his feet at the same time as the other man regained his balance.

The pair circled one another warily both knowing that at this point they were fighting for their lives.  If Danny got hold of that knife and the man came at him, he knew how to use it and wouldn’t hesitate to do so to protect his own life.  There was no doubt in the detective’s mind that this man was here to kill him.

Danny let the man get closer, a risky move given the still continuous slashing movement he was making, putting up his right arm once more to deflect the downward swing, he stepped into his opponent’s space, ignoring the pain that again sliced through his arm, he used the momentum to push the other man’s arm away, hitting it with enough force he dropped the knife.  It was then that the man’s hood came away removing the shadows that had been covering his face.  Danny recognised the red hair and piercing cold blue eyes; it was Shane Warner, the arms dealer that had nearly blown him and Steve up with a grenade.

The two men scrambled to get the knife and therefore get control of the situation, unfortunately Danny just wasn’t quick enough despite being highly motivated and the other man reached it first.

Using some skills he’d learnt from Steve and Kono while working out in the gym with them, Danny swept his leg round, connecting solidly with the other man’s knee before he could fully stand up again.  He dropped to the ground but didn’t drop his weapon, recovering quickly.  As he started to get to his feet he plunged the knife deep into Danny’s right thigh, causing a cry of agony.  Shane was about to pull the knife out to finish the job when the sound of sirens approaching penetrated his rage filled haze and made him change his mind.

“I’ll be seeing you around, Detective Williams,” with those words he was gone and Danny was left lying on the asphalt, hands gripping his thigh.

 

 

-5-0-

 

 

Steve drove to the motel like Danny’s life depended on it and what worried him most was that it could.  The sounds coming from the still connected cells weren’t indicating what exactly was going on, just that something was.

Screaming round the final corner, practically on two wheels, the truck shot into the parking lot and screeched to a halt, the headlights on the truck picking out a man on the ground at the end.

“Danny!” Steve was out of the truck having barely turned the ignition off.

Kono pulled out her cell phone and called for an ambulance and HPD.  Chin followed Steve, sweeping the area ensuring that nobody was still nearby that could potentially cause further harm to his team, knowing that Steve’s focus right at that moment was on the blonde detective.

Dropping down on his knees next to Danny, Steve assessed his partner with a sweeping gaze.  Blood covered both his hands and his right arm, but the most concerning injury he could see was the one where a knife was stuck in his best friend’s leg.

“Danny, move your hands, let me look,” a sense of urgency gripped the SEAL.

“Take it out,” Danny growled as he moved his hands away.

“You know I can’t,” Steve looked up as Kono dropped the first aid kit from his truck by him, “Thanks,” he grabbed a large wad of gauze and pressed it on either side of the knife.

“Fuck!”

“Sorry but I need to get this bleeding under control,” Steve had seen the blood pumping out of the wound with every beat of his partner’s heart. 

“It was…” Danny hissed as Steve pressed down even harder.

“Don’t talk.  You can tell me what happened later!” ordered Steve.

“Shane Warner,” the injured man ignored the directive.

“For the love of God, will you just listen to me for once!”

“Dressed all in black,” he paused to take a much needed breath, “Ran off towards the park.”

“Fine, you’ve told us, now shut the hell up!”

“I’ll put out a BOLO,” Kono assured the man hoping that it would keep Danny quiet and by association calm Steve down a little.

Chin and Kono kept sweeping the parking lot, not wanting to be caught off guard by Warner circling back around.  There wasn’t anything they could do for Danny that Steve wasn’t already doing.

The gauze that Steve was using had already soaked through, giving up on that idea he pulled his t-shirt over his head and wrapped it around the knife and pushed it down.

“For FUCK sake Steven!”

“Shut up Danny!”

“Any… excuse to… take your… shirt off!”

“I swear to God if you don’t STOP talking I’m going to use some of the tape I’ve got in that kit and put it over your mouth!”  Steve glared at his injured partner to emphasise his point, “Please you need to save your energy,” the words were spoken much more softly.

Danny saw the fleeting look of fear on his friend’s face before he could hide it.  He knew a knife to the thigh wasn’t good, but from the look Steve had briefly allowed to show, it was worse than he’d imagined.  Shit.  Danny closed his eyes and pictured his little girl’s face, her smile, her laugh.

“Danny, stay with me man.  Open your eyes for me, come on,” coaxed Steve, “That’s it,” he breathed a sigh of relief as Danny’s eyes once again opened.  The sound of sirens could now be heard as HPD and an ambulance arrived in the lot.

Steve looked up to see the familiar face of an EMT, “Andy…”

“What’s happened?”

“Knife in the thigh, it’s still in there, I’ve tried to stop the bleeding.  He’s got multiple cuts to his hands and his right arm but I was more worried about his thigh.”

“Alright, Maggie,” Andy turned to the female EMT that was with him, “Get the gurney please.  You OK to stay there and keep pressure on the wound for a minute Steve?”

“Yeah.”

Andy quickly opened the large kit he carried with him and pulled out a pressure dressing.  Rather than take away the t-shirt and gauze Steve had been using, he simply laid it over what was already there and then secured it around Danny’s leg. 

“Danny, I’m going to start an IV and give you some pain meds.  Maggie here is going to give you some oxygen,” he indicated his partner as she returned with the gurney.

“No Jake?”

“He’s on vacation,” Andy smiled at his patient.

“Wish I was!”

“Didn’t I tell you not to talk?” Steve asked.

Maggie slipped the oxygen mask over Danny’s face muffling any reply he made.  Andy secured the IV and gave him some morphine before hanging a litre of saline and handing the bag to Steve to hold.

“Danny, we’re going to move you onto the gurney now.  We need to make sure that the knife doesn’t move so I need you to let us do the work, OK?”

“OK.”

Andy, Maggie, Steve and Chin carefully lifted the injured detective onto the gurney and he was wheeled to the back of the ambulance.  Steve climbed into the back with Andy, the door was closed and the ambulance left with lights and siren going.

Danny was in a world of pain.  His hands stung in a way he could never have imagined and both his arm and leg were throbbing.  There was a distinct feeling of dizziness as well.  Keeping his eyes closed, he reached for his partner, knowing that he was there, “Steve.”

“I’m here Danny,” a warm hand held his cold clammy one, trying not to cause pain while being reassuring.

“Tell Gracie…”

“No, you’ll tell her yourself!”

“Steve, please…”  
“No, you don’t get to do this!  You don’t get to give up!”

“Not giving up.”

“Sure sounds like it to me!  You want me to tell Gracie that Danno loves her, which sounds like you’re saying goodbye!  I won’t let you!”

“Steve…”

“No Danny.  You can tell Grace yourself.”

“Not saying goodbye.”

“Then what are you doing?  No, don’t answer that, you’re supposed to be saving your energy and _not_ talking!”

“Reassuring myself.”

Steve ran a hand through his hair not even noticing the blood on his own hands, “I will tell Grace, while you sleep and recover but you _will_ be telling her yourself when you wake up.  Do you hear me?”

“Yeah.”

“Good now shut up!”

“Steve…”  
“ _Danny!_ ”

“Danno loves you too!”

Steve looked at his partner, an expression of shock on his face.  Under the oxygen mask he could just make out a small smile.  He grabbed Danny’s hand in both of his, “I love you too brother, just hold on…  No, no, no.  Danny, don’t do this, stay with me!”  Danny’s eyes slid shut.  Steve looked desperately at Andy.

“He’s lost consciousness; he’s still with us Steve.  He’s fighting.”

When they arrived at the hospital the gurney was instantly surrounded by medical personnel.  Doctor Phelps was once again on duty and recognised his patient.  “Detective Williams can you hear me?” he asked as he jogged along beside the gurney towards the trauma room.

Andy quickly supplied the doctor with the information he needed, “Superficial lacerations to both hands; two deeper wounds to the lower right arm; knife lodged in the right thigh.  He’s tachycardic; Pulse 142; Resps 41; BP 67/45.  He’s had a litre of saline, 100% O2 and five of morphine.”  The medical team quickly but carefully moved Danny to the ER gurney and the EMTs cleared their equipment out of the way.

Doctor Phelps started to give orders, “Page the on call surgeon.  Get me U+Es; FBC; Glucose and Cross match for four units of blood.  Set up for a Central line and get me arterial blood gases.  Insert a Foley.”  A matter of minutes later Danny had a new line in his neck and multiple tubes of blood had been taken for testing and his urine output was being measured.  “What’s his blood pressure?”

“Blood pressure 60/40.”

“Make sure that O2 is set to 100%,” instructed Doctor Phelps, “Get five of dopamine and get a bag of that blood hung.”

Another person burst into the room, this time a young woman, her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and her green eyes serious, “Dom, what you got?”

“Hi Ani.  Danny Williams, 35 years old, penetrating knife wound to the right upper thigh, knife still in situ, possibly involving the femoral artery. BP 60/40, O2 sats dropping.”

“Alright, let’s move him to the OR.  Need to get that bleeding under control or we’re going to lose him!”

 

 

-5-0-

 

 

Doctor Phelps had handed his patient over to the care of the surgeon, now it was up to him to tell the patient’s friends what was happening.  Removing his bloodied gloves and taking a deep breath he exited the trauma area and emerged into the busy waiting room.

“Is anyone here with Detective Williams?” asked the Doctor.

“Yes, Commander McGarrett,” Steve appeared in front of him and introduced himself, two others standing either side.

“I’m Doctor Phelps, I am the ER physician that treated him,” he pulled the three to one side; “Danny has just been taken up to the OR to have the knife removed.”

“Is he going to be OK?” Kono was gripping Steve’s arm.  He didn’t even notice.

“He’s in critical condition.  Danny has lost a lot of blood; we believe that there may be some damage to the femoral artery which will need to be repaired.  I’m sorry I can’t give you any more information right now, but if you head up to the OR waiting area his surgeon, Doctor Kala, will update you when she can.”

“Thank you Doctor Phelps,” Chin responded before ushering his cousin and boss out of the ER waiting area to go to the OR one instead.

The three friends sat silently in the quieter waiting area, hoping that Danny was strong enough to make it through.  Steve had once again debated on calling Rachel, but he wanted to have something to tell her, other than Danny is in the OR and we don’t know if he’s going to make it.

A few hours later a pretty blonde woman approached the waiting area, “Commander McGarrett?” she asked.

Steve immediately stood up, “That’s me,” he introduced her to Chin and Kono.

“Please, sit down, I’m Doctor Ani Kala,” she gestured to the chairs and then joined them; “Danny made it through surgery.  I won’t lie to you, his heart stopped during the procedure but we managed to get him back quickly.  The knife actually cut the femoral artery but had actually also blocked the cut as it was pushed passed the artery into muscle.  If the knife had been removed on scene he would have bled out before the ambulance arrived.  We’ve carried out a repair on the artery and torn muscles.”

“Is he going to be OK?” Kono asked again, this time both Steve and Chin reached for her as her voice trembled.

“He’s currently on a ventilator as he is extremely weak from blood loss and is still receiving transfusions.  His condition is critical and, as cliché as it sounds, the next twenty four hours are critical.  If he can survive that, then he has a very good chance of making a full recovery, though it won’t necessarily be an easy one, as the knife did a lot of damage and it will be a while before he’ll be mobile again.  Danny is in for a lot of physical therapy to regain the strength in his right leg.”

“He’ll make it,” Steve said without even a trace of doubt in his voice.

“Well he’s made it this far when others wouldn’t have, so he has a good chance.  You can go and visit him in the ICU shortly.  A nurse will come and get you.”

“Thank you Doctor Kala.”

They didn’t have to wait long and they were shown to Danny’s room in the ICU.  The man in the bed only looked a little like the Danny they knew and loved.  There was no life, no energy, in the body.  He was pale and the tube down his throat to help him breathe brought home how ill he really was.  His leg was sticking out from under the covers, raised and a thick bandage was round his thigh.  When they approached the bed they also noticed the bandages covering both his hands as well as one going from his right wrist to his elbow.

“I forgot all about the cuts on his arm, didn’t even ask about them,” Steve stated.

“We were kind of worried about the knife in his leg brah,” Chin placed a comforting hand on his friend’s shoulder.

“The wounds on his hands aren’t deep, the two cuts on his lower arm required forty stitches between them, but they didn’t do any nerve damage as far as the doctor can tell,” a voice said from behind them.

Turning round the three came face to face with a nurse that they were all too familiar with, “Akela,” Steve acknowledged the man.

“Hey, I’m going to be Danny’s nurse tonight.  Why don’t you all go home and get some rest?  I’ll call you if there’s any change.”  He wasn’t surprised when all three of them refused his offer, “Well, Steve, at least go and get cleaned up.  There’s a locker room just down the hall.”

Looking at himself for the first time that evening, Steve realised he was covered in Danny’s blood, “Yeah, OK, that’s not a bad idea.  Thanks.”

“You go and hit the shower and I’ll get your bag from your truck,” Chin offered.  When Steve nodded his agreement, the older detective left.

“How’s he doing?” Kono asked Akela.

“Didn’t Doctor Kala tell you?”

“Yes, she did, but seeing him…”

“He’s holding his own Kono.  Sit with him, talk to him and let him know you’re here.  I’m pretty sure he’ll appreciate it,” Akela squeezed her shoulder reassuringly as he walked by her back out of the room after he hung a new bag of blood, “I’ll be in and out but if you need anything then press the call button.”

 

 

-5-0-

 

 

It had been nearly thirty hours since Danny had been settled into the ICU and he showed absolutely no signs of regaining consciousness.  The team had questioned Doctor Kala but she’d told them that given the extent of the blood loss he would wake up in his own time.  She tried to assure them that he was on the road to recovery after they were able to remove the ventilator, as Danny began to spontaneously breathe, but still he hadn’t woken.

Steve was keeping vigil by the bed when there was a noise outside the door, dragging his eyes away from the unmoving form of his partner, he looked up to find Grace Williams standing in the door with her mother behind her.  The SEAL gave the first real smile he’d managed since Danny had been injured and got up to meet the little girl at the door.

“Hey Gracie,” he looked over her shoulder, “Rachel.”

“Uncle Steve,” Grace’s brown eyes were wide as she looked up at him, “How’s Danno?”

Steve knelt down so he was at her level, “The doctor tells me he’s doing better, he’s breathing on his own now but I think he’s still very tired as he hasn’t woken up yet.”

“He _is_ going to wake up though, right Uncle Steve?”

Rachel placed her hand on Grace’s shoulder, “Grace, we talked about this…”  
“It’s alright Rachel.  I certainly hope so Grace,” he wasn’t going to lie to this child that meant so much to him, “Why don’t you come and talk to him and tell him he needs to get his lazy behind outta bed,” he winked at her and she gave a little giggle before throwing her arms round Steve’s neck.

“Thank you,” Rachel mouthed as he picked her up and walked over to the bed with her.

He sat down in the chair that he had pulled up close to the bed to enable him to reach through the rails on the bed with ease and settled Grace on his lap.  She looked back at the SEAL, suddenly uncertain about what she should do.

“You can touch him, look,” he put his hand through the rail and rested it on the back of Danny’s bandaged left hand.

Grace shuffled forward slightly until her shorter arms could reach and replaced Steve’s hand on her Dad’s, “Hey Danno.  Uncle Steve says that you’re very tired and need to sleep, but I miss you.”

Steve gave her a reassuring squeeze to let her know it was alright to speak to the unconscious man, the man that she idolised so much.

“He also says it’s time to get your lazy butt out of bed!” she grinned at Steve who just shrugged.  If Danny was hearing any of this and remembered any it he was so in for a rant, but he’d take that over this interminable silence and stillness.

“Why don’t you tell your Dad what you’ve been doing at school Grace,” suggested Rachel, trying to make it easier on her daughter.

“OK,” agreed Grace, “I had a spelling test yesterday and I got them all right!  Oh and Ms Jenni told us about a trip the class is going on next month to the Polynesian Cultural Center!  It sounds fun and Mom is going to come too.  I also wanted to ask you about taking me to a ranch that one of the other kids told me about, we could go horse riding, or if you don’t like that, we could go on an ATV.  They’ve got a jungle thing too.”

Steve smiled at Rachel, they both knew that even when Danny woke up it could be weeks before he was up to doing anything that Grace was referring to, but it would give both of them something to look forward to, so the SEAL determined that he’d arrange it for them once Danny was ready.

“Come on Grace, it’s time for you to go to school,” Rachel hated to take her daughter away from her father but she needed to keep her to a routine.

“Can’t I stay Mommy, please?”

“No darling, you can’t.  You need to go to school, but I’ll bring you back when school finishes, alright?”

“OK, bye Danno,” with Steve’s help she planted a kiss on her Dad’s forehead, gave Steve a hug and then left with her Mom.

“Come on Danny, you’re gonna break your daughter’s heart if you don’t wake up soon,” sighed Steve, placing his hand back on his friend’s and closing his own eyes.

 

 

-5-0-

 

 

Grace came back that afternoon but there was still no movement from her Dad and when she left Steve gave her a hug and promised that he’d stay and keep Danny company.  She was worried he’d wake up and be alone.  Both Chin and Kono tried to persuade him to go home but he wouldn’t budge.

The pair made sure that he had a break at least and went to get something to eat.  When he returned they stayed for a little while before heading home to get some sleep, hoping they’d be able to convince Steve to go home tomorrow.

“Evening Steve.”

“Hey Akela, how are you?”

“Good thanks.  You look tired.  Why don’t you go home and get some rest?”

“Chin and Kono already tried, I’m not leaving,” the SEAL’s stubborn streak was as wide as the ocean on this particular matter.

“Alright, but I’m not picking you up if you collapse from exhaustion!  I just need to change Danny’s dressings,” he indicated the items that he’d brought into the room with him.  Moving the table, he put his supplies on it and then started to remove the dressing on his patient’s right arm.  Once the old dressing was removed he gave both the wounds a thorough clean.  Suddenly Steve was sitting up from his relaxed position, which gained Akela’s attention.

“Steve?”

“He moved his hand,” standing up Steve placed his right hand on Danny’s left and put his left hand on his forehead, “Danny?”  The two men waited expectantly and got no response, “Perhaps I just imagined it.”

“It’s not unusual for a patient who is unconscious to have involuntary muscle movement Steve,” Akela returned to cleaning the wounds.

“He did it again!  Danny?  Move your hand again if you can hear me,” he watched hopefully and nothing happened, “Try cleaning the wound again.”

Akela watched Danny’s hand in Steve’s as he once again applied the sterile wipe to his arm and this time he saw the movement as well, “That’s a good sign, he’s showing a response to pain.”

“Not so great if he’s actually in pain and can’t tell us,” pointed out Steve.

“True.  I’ll speak to the doctor about perhaps adjusting his pain medication,” Akela finished cleaning all the wounds on Danny’s arm and hands as Steve gently spoke to his partner, trying to help him through the pain he was clearly responding to, “I’m going to speak to Doctor Kala before I change the dressing on his leg, as that’s likely to be more painful and I don’t want to put him through any unnecessary pain if it can be avoided.”

“Hear that Danny, Akela is going to try and get you some more of the good stuff.  If you can hear me, you’re going to be fine.  I’m here and not going anywhere.  The doctor says you’ll wake up when you’re ready.  Let me tell you we’re all more than ready to have you awake now!”

Akela returned with a syringe and administered more morphine before turning his attention to Danny’s leg.  Once he’d removed the old dressing and started to clean the wound he kept checking with Steve to see if Danny was responding, but the extra dose of morphine must have done the trick.

It was a few hours later when Danny finally opened his eyes and Steve had finally drifted off to sleep.  It took a few minutes for Danny to catalogue his condition and where he was.  The beeping of a heart monitor gave away his location, the dull throb from his arm, hands and thigh brought back why he was in this particular place with a clarity that he could have done without.

Turning his head slightly he caught sight of Steve’s tall form, slumped at an awkward angle in the chair next to his bed.  He became aware of a light pressure on his left hand and managed to glance down to find Steve’s hand there.  It was oddly reassuring to have his hand held, but he’d never admit it.  He was wondering if he should wake the other man up or not when Akela walked in to do his next check on his patient.

“Well hello there Danny!” he spoke softly so as to not wake the sleeping man next to the bed just yet, “How are you feeling?”

“Sore,” croaked Danny.

“I bet.  Here, take some sips of water,” Akela lifted a cup and poured some cold water into it before dropping in a straw and bringing it to Danny’s lips so he could have a drink, “Not too much.  There you go.  Better?”

“Yeah, thanks.  How long?”

“Have you been here?” at the nod he received he responded, “Today makes two days you’ve been in the ICU.  Your team and daughter will be very pleased to see you back with us.”

“How bad?”

“You lost a lot of blood and needed several units transfused.  You have two cuts on your right forearm which have been stitched, some lacerations on your hands and a rather nasty wound on your right thigh.  Your femoral artery was damaged, Dr Kala, your surgeon, repaired it but it will be a while before you’ll be up and about I’m afraid, the repair needs a chance to heal properly.  In fact I will go and page Dr Kala now, she happens to be on duty again tonight.  I’ll be right back.”

Steve had slept through the whole conversation.  Clearly the other man was beyond tired and Danny felt vaguely guilty.  Still it wasn’t anything that he wouldn’t do for Steve.

Doctor Kala entered the room about half an hour later and quietly greeted her patient before giving him a quick examination.

“You’re doing really well Danny.  You’ll be moved out of ICU tomorrow and I’ll send one of our physical therapists to see you to discuss the best way to get you mobile again.”

“Thanks Doc,” Danny closed his eyes suddenly feeling wiped out despite the amount of sleep he’d been getting.

“Get some rest Danny,” Doctor Kala smiled and left the room happy that all was going well.

 

 

-5-0-

 

 

Steve woke a few hours later and stretched.  Akela smiled, “You missed Danny waking up!”

“What?  You’re kidding?”

“Nope.  Dr Kala came and checked on him.  He’ll be moved out of the ICU tomorrow, well later today.”

“That’s great news.  Why didn’t you wake me?”

“You looked paler than my patient!”

“He’s right you know, you looked pretty tired,” Danny told him, having woken up at the quiet murmur of voices.

“You should have woken me!”

“No, we shouldn’t.  Steve, go home!  I’m fine.”

“Grace will be coming by before school and I promised I would stay with you.”

“What time is it?”

“01:35 AM,” supplied Akela.

“Steve, go home!  Get some sleep in your own bed.  If it means that much to you, come back before Grace comes in.  I’ll even tell her I sent you home!  I’m hoping Akela is about to give me some more pain medication, in which case I’ll be out for the count in about five minutes anyway!”

“Are you in pain?”

“I had a knife sticking out of my leg!  Of course I’m in pain Steven, but that’s what the medication is for!”  Steve grinned, “Wait, what was that?  Are you _smiling_ because I’m in pain?  Because I gotta tell you Steve, that’s not cool!”

“I’m smiling because you’re talking again.  Two days without hearing one rant, I kinda missed it, but I’ll deny it if you ever repeat that!”

“I have a witness,” Danny pointed to Akela.

“Oh no, leave me out of this!” he made a note on Danny’s chart before leaving and quickly returning with a syringe, the contents of which he pushed into Danny’s IV, “There you go.”

“Thanks Akela.  Home Steve.  Go.  Please?”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely.  Sleep.”

“OK, I’ll see you in the morning.”

“And Steve?”

“Yeah.”

“Thanks for being here.”

Steve smiled and patted Danny’s shoulder before asking Akela to call if he needed anything, then leaving to go and get some much deserved rest in his own bed.

 

 

-5-0-

 

 

Grace stopped suddenly in the doorway to her Dad’s room.  He was awake!  Her Danno was awake.

“Gracie?” Danny asked worriedly when he saw her stopped there.

“DANNO!” she ran across the room and only stopped when Steve grabbed her and gently placed her on the bed, so that Danny could reach round and give her a cuddle but she wouldn’t jump all over him and hurt him.

“Hey baby girl.”

“You scared me Daddy.”

“I’m so sorry Gracie.  You know I’d never do anything to scare you on purpose, don’t you?”

“I know,” she burrowed in to her Dad’s side and the pair just lay there enjoying the closeness, while Steve and Rachel watched.

“Grace,” Steve spoke after a few minutes.

“Yes Uncle Steve?”

“I was wondering if I could ask you to help me with something.”

“Sure!”

“Will you help me set up the study at my house for Danno to use while he recovers?”

“Can I Mom?”

“When will this need to happen?” Rachel asked.

“The physical therapist came by this morning.  I’ll be stuck in bed here for another week, then they’ll release me but I won’t be able to use crutches,” he indicated his hands and arm, “So Steve offered to set up a bed in his study for me to use as I won’t be able to get up and down stairs for a while either.”

“I’ve got a bathroom on the ground floor too, but I could use a hand to sort out the study area so I can fit a bed in.  Chin and Kono have said they’ll help…”

“Grace, how would you like to spend Saturday with Uncle Steve?” offered Rachel.  This was as much for her daughter as her ex-husband.  Helping Steve get ready for her father’s discharge would hopefully keep her mind off why he had been in the hospital in the first place.

“Yes please!”

“OK, that’s settled then,” Steve smiled.

“Daniel, how long do they think that you’ll be recovering for?”

“It will be a couple of weeks before my arm has healed enough to put pressure on it to use crutches, then probably a couple of weeks on crutches building the strength back up.  I’ll likely have to use a cane for a little while after that.  I won’t be cleared to go back in the field for at least six weeks.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m glad that you’re going to be alright.”

“Thanks Rachel.”

“Grace, say goodbye to your Dad and Steve, it’s time for school.”

Jumping off the bed after giving Danny another hug and a kiss, Grace hugged Steve then skipped out of the room with her Mom.

“You sure about having me staying with you for that long?  Especially since it means moving stuff around.”

“Of course.  You’ll only be stuck in the study until you can use crutches, then you can move up to your room.”

“My room?”

“Well you stay in the guest room so often I might as well call it your room!”

Danny couldn’t dispute that since meeting Steve he’d spent more than his fair share of time in his house, “Crap at this rate you’ll be expecting rent!”

“Now that’s not a bad idea….”

Danny groaned and Steve laughed.  It would be a long six weeks for Danny, but between Steve, Chin, Kono and Grace he was sure that he’d be fine.  They were still looking for Shane Warner and the man had better hope that HPD caught him before Danny’s Ohana did.

 

 


End file.
